Automatic sprinkler.



W. B. HAMMOND.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 19. m5.

1,21 3,831 a Patented Jan. 23, 191?.

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'WILBERFOBCE BEEOETE'SZ HAIEIWTOND, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO PTERCE-HAIIHJIC-ND AUTGMATIC SPRINKLER it HEATING COMPANY, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPQBATIOII OF MASSACHUSETTS.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVILBnRroRon BEECHER T-TAMMOND, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Tmprovements in Automatic Sprinklers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic sprinklers and is particularly adapted to sprinklers of the Evans type, in which the water valve is held by a toggle and lever system, normally restrained by a heat sensitive fusible member.

The object of my invention is to render the toggle and lever system of such sprinklers inherently e fective to dissipate heat conducted from within the piping system to which the sprinkler is attached, (as When the system is used to carry hot water for heat ing purposes) and also to simplify the construction and repair and alteration of such sprinklers.

In the drawings hereto annexed which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 shows a sprinkler head in side elevation and partly in section; Fig. 2 shows one of the toggle lever members in front elevation; Fig. 3 shows the same in perspective; Fig. a shows a modified form of the sprinkler head, in elevation and partly in section; Fig. 5 is a front elevation of the upper toggle-lever member of the pair shown in Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of said upper togglelever member of said pair; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of said pair of toggle-lever members and the fusible link; and Fig. 8 is a plan view of the links of Fig. 1.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the sprinkler comprises a framework H, a water-valve V, toggle members T and T, terminating in lever arms L and L which are notched at N and N to hold the fusible link F. Here toforc, the toggle and link members have been made of cast metal and have therefore been bulky in relation to their exposed surface, and consequently well adapted to conduct heat to the fusible member F.

Moreover, the oint between the toggle members has been formed by making a V-shaped groove in one member and a V-shaped edge on the other, loosely fitting the edge into the groove. Thus each member of a togglepair has been made individual; whereas my purpose in part is to make them interchangeable.

1 form the toggle-lever members of sheet metal, stamping the blanks and then bending the lever portion L, (or L) so that it stands at a slightly acute angle laterally with the toggle portion T, (or T). Qne end of the toggle portion is pointed at P, so as to engage eitaer with the cavity in the end of the adjusting screw S (Fig. 1) or with a similar cavity in the center of the valve plate. The other end of the toggle portion is grooved in V-shape, forming a V-shaped edge on either side of the groove. The linkholding notch N is formed in the lever arm L, preferably by the operation of cutting the blank. When two such toggle-lever members are placed in position on a sprinkler head, with either V-shaped edge of one loosely fitting into the ll-shaped groove of the other, the acute angled bends of the lever portions bring the two notches N and N into the same plane with the toggle points P and P; and thus the link F holds the two toggle levers without any twisting strain. Also, the identity in construction of the two toggle lever members causes one lever portion, as L, to stand at the left, the other, L, at the right, that is, spaced apart, thus enabling air-circulation to dissipate conducted heat from the lever arms more readily than would be the case if, as heretofore, they stood one directly above the other. Moreover, the use of stamped sheet metal for the construction of these toggle-levers increases their radiating surface in relation to cross section, and thereby enhances their heat dissipating capacity. This may be further improved by black-j apanning.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4-, the frame H of the sprinkler, the screw S and the valve V may be the same as in the other form. The toggle-lever members, however,

instead of being held under a spreading or separating tension by the link F, acting as a tie, are held apart against a collapsing strain by the fusible link F, acting as a strut. Each toggle-lever member, as before, is made of sheet metal stamped out and bent to form the tog le portion T (or T) and the lever portion L (or L); and the abutting ends of the toggle portions T and T are grooved, as before, at G. The ends of the arms L and L are made each with a hook or projection h to engage the ends of the heat sensitive strut F, Which may be of any approved design adapted to give Way in the presence of heat and permit the levers L, L, to sWing toward each other.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an automatic sprinkler of the type indicated, a pair of valve engaging togglelever members, each comprlslng a toggle portion and a lever arm, the lever portion proceeding from one side of and extending at an acute angle to the toggle portion.

2. In an automatic sprinkler of the type indicated, a pair of valve engaging togglelever members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm made of an integral piece of sheet metal, the lever portion bent from one side of and standing at an acute angle to the toggle portion.

3. In an automatic sprinkler of the type indicated, a pair of interchangeable valve engaging toggle-lever members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm made of an integral piece of sheet metal, the lever portion bent from one side of and standing at an acute angle to the toggle portion.

4. In an automatic sprinkler of the type indicated, a pair of valve engaging toggle lever members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm made of an integral piece of sheet metal, the lever portion standing at an acute angle to the toggle portion, the toggle portions of each toggle lever member having a groove cut in one end, to en gage With an edge of a similar groove cut in the end of the toggle portion of the other member.

5. In an automatic sprinkler of the type indicated, a pair of interchangeable valve engaging toggle-lever members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm made of an integral piece of sheet metal, the lever portion standing at an acute angle to the toggle portion, the toggle portion of each toggle lever member having a groove cut in one end, to engage With an edge of a similar groove cut in the end of the toggle portion of the other member.

6. In an automatic sprinkler of the type indicated, a pair of valve engaging toggle lever members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm made of an integral piece of sheet metal, the lever portion being bent from one side or the toggle portion.

7. In an automatic sprinkler oi the type indicated, a pair of valve engaging togglelcver members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm made of an integral piece oi sheet metal, the lever portion extending from one side of one member and from the opposite side of the other member.

8. in an automatic sprinkler of the type indiczted, a pair of interchangeable valve engaging toggle-lever members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm, and the toggle portion of each member having a groove in one end to engage with an edge of a similar groove in the end of the other member.

9. In an automatic sprinkler of the type indicated, a pair of interchangeable valve engaging toggle-lever members, each comprising a toggle portion and a lever arm, the lever arm proceeding from one side of and standing at an acute angle to the toggle portion.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this third day of April, 1915.

WILBERFORCE BEEGHER HAMMOND.

Witnesses ROBERT CUSHMAN, Josnrninn H. RYAN.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

